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Wedding in Greece during COVID19

May 15, 2020

For many couples who were planning a Mediterranean inspired wedding, the start of 2020 saw them looking at wedding venues, wedding invitation designs, and wedding decoration ideas on Pinterest but really confused.

Unfortunately, the spread of COVID19 has left many affianced couples confused about their special day.

If you are one of those couples who was dreaming about a fairytale wedding inspired by the Mediterranean elements of sunshine, blue sea, and the silvery green olive trees, Greece is a perfect choice for your destination wedding!

Weddings and events in Greece after/in the times of COVID 19

The quick response of the government and the compliance of its citizens have made Greece one of the safest travel and wedding destinations during the COVID19 pandemic.Moreover, Greece’s warm climate may lower the spread of the virus even more.With traditional villages, delicious food, sandy beaches, and crystal-clear waters ranging from beep blue to turquois, you can still have your dream wedding in the Mediterranean!Of course, there may still be some practical issues that may concern you.We are here to offer solutions for your dreaming wedding in Greece!

Avoiding the crowd

Social distancing and avoiding crowded spaces have now become an integral part of our lives if we wish to keep our selves and loved ones safe.This may be something you would like to consider when choosing the location for your destination wedding in Greece.
So, we would suggest exploring Greece’s smaller islands and avoiding the throngs of tourists.

The beautiful island of Symi in the Dodecanese, with its unique beauty, colorful neoclassical buildings, has a number of small churches and monasteries which can host your dream wedding in Greece by the sea. One of the most idyllic is the monastery of St. Marina, which is situated on an islet and is surrounded by breath-taking turquoise waters.

Another great option for a romantic wedding ceremony in Greece, is the seaside monastery of St. Paul, which also has a small courtyard available to hold your wedding reception.

If you are looking for a touch of ancient Greek mythology, why not get married in Greece in the birthplace of Hermes?

Syros island and its capital city, Hermoupolis, have a unique mixture of neoclassical buildings and aristocratic mansions lining streets paved with marble and stone, leading down to the harbour. Overlooking all this beauty is the church of the Resurrection with its renaissance interior which gives you the opportunity to get married in Greece under a canopy of golden stars. Syros island also has a number of catholic churches such as Our Lady of Carmel which was initially established in 1640 and then rebuilt in 1824.

The tranquil, pastel-coloured interior of the church could be the perfect inspiration for your wedding’s colour scheme, with a bouquet of eucalyptus leaves, powdery pink peonies, and some delicate baby’s breath.

Smaller number of guests

Unfortunately, due to travel restrictions and increased fear for at-risk groups, there may be friends and family members who won’t be able to make it to your special day in Greece.But just because they can’t be there in person doesn’t mean they have to miss the ceremony!If COVID19 has taught us anything, it’s how to be close to the people we love while being apart, and most of us did that through video chats. So, while in the past live streaming your wedding might have felt tacky, it will become the new norm, at least for the next few months!
Moreover, there are certain benefits to having a shorter wedding guest list.For example, when a wedding party includes too many people, the bridegroom rarely gets to connect with all their guests. It is also quite common that not all guests at a wedding will know each other. Both of these cases can make guests feel uncomfortable, but a smaller wedding guest list means that you can choose to include fun icebreakers such as “Wedding Guest Bingo” to brake the awkwardness. You could also provide your guests with disposable cameras. Professional photography is perfect for the mantle, but candid shots taken by those who love you are probably going to be the ones you love!

However, speaking of photography, fewer guests means more money can be allocated to those little luxuries you really want!Maybe you can have the orchids you really desired for the flower arrangements, a luxury wedding art de la table or the photographer that was a little out of your price range before.

Accommodation

We know that many couples and their guests choose to combine their destination wedding in Greece with a holiday, so we also know that accommodation will be a concern.
With regards to hotels, the Greek government has provided some guidelines so far which will make hotel stays a little unusual to say the least. In brief, these limitations include but are not limited to, avoiding buffets and encouraging room service, limiting the number of people in the swimming pool, keeping a distance of 2m between sunbeds and covering them with a single-use sheet.While these restrictions are understandable, they may also put a dampener on your stay in Greece. Thankfully, Greece has numerous villas, ideal to accommodate you and your guest before, during, and after your dream wedding in Greece; from ultra-modern to traditional stone-builds, and from stand-alone houses to complexes, you will certainly find something to your liking!So, whether you would like to be on you own or have your friends and family nearby, there are villas to satisfy your needs!Chania in Crete, for example, one of the best wedding destinations in Greece, has a number of beautiful villas that can accommodate between 10 and 15 people, such as the Kastro Estate, Villa Horizon, and Villa Splantzia.

If you feel that you would prefer to have more privacy but still have your friends and family nearby, you could consider villa complexes such as Katakis Villas, which are two adjacent villas, each of which can sleep 5 people. Similarly, Lofos Village provides a variety of neighbouring properties which can collectively house 27 people.Additionally, Chania also has many beautiful wedding venues available for a Cretan wedding full of fragrance and colour, such as the Botanical Gardens or the Manousakis Winery.

Both of these locations offer the possibility of an outdoor wedding and encourage the use of local flora to create unusual centrepieces, elements which will provide greater safety for you and your party, and a memorable wedding that will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Wedding and Reception Venues

When it comes to wedding venues in Greece, we can explore a variety of options, from private estates to quaint tavernas.

At the luxury end of the spectrum are properties like Villa Veneziano in Lefkada, a stunning property situated on 2.000 sqm of luscious greenery and offering panoramic views of the Ionian. Capable hosting the wedding and reception of your dreams, it has he added bonus of sleeping 10 people in its five individual suites, making it a very short walk at the end of the night!

A similar estate is EroSantorini, which, as the name suggests, is situated in Santorini on a two-acre estate with its own open-air chapel. With three one-bedroom suites and a two-bedroom bungalow this estate too can sleep 10 people and, in addition, offers spa services, wine tasting, and cooking lessons, making it a perfect location not just for your wedding ceremony and reception, but also for your honeymoon or vacation!

On the other hand, if you are looking for a more traditional, rustic setting for your wedding reception in Greece or the rehearsal dinner, there is nothing more Greek than a seaside taverna. You can find tavernas everywhere in Greece but finding an authentic one with pleasing aesthetics is top of our priority list!

By choosing a taverna, you and your guests can experience famously delicious Greek foods such as dolmades, fresh fish, fried calamari, and grilled octopus, to name a few! Aside from the food, a taverna enhances the cosy family feeling, bring you and your guests closer on your special day!